2024 Abstracts

Authors: Eve Christensen, Chase Redd, Bailey Uzzardo. Mentors: Elijah Neilson. Insitution: Southern Utah University. The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020 brought with it a host of changes to the workplace. One change in particular was the wide-spread transition to remote work as opposed to in-person work as concerns with spreading the Covid-19 virus necessitated a shift in how the labor force performed their work. The Covid-19 pandemic created more opportunities for employees to work from home rather than working on site. This paper seeks to evaluate the correlation between working from home and earnings using an econometric model. By comparing an individual’s earnings before and after the Covid-19 pandemic, along with whether they work from home or on site, we hope to better understand the effect that remote work has on a person's decision to enter the job market and which fields the incoming labor force are pursuing. Our findings will also be relevant to employers as they evaluate what a competitive wage would be depending on the availability of work from home options for a certain job.

Authors: Zach Moore, Owen Benzley, Austin Flitton, Frederic Schaper, Jared Nielsen. Mentors: Jared Nielsen. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Objective: Identify neural networks that are associated with panic disorder symptoms through lesion network mapping.Background: Panic Disorder is a neurological disorder in which one experiences unexpected and reoccurring panic attacks. Panic attacks can be characterized by the following symptoms: trembling, racing heart, excessive fear and worry, weakness, tingly hands, chest pain, or a feeling of unreality. A proposed circuit for panic disorder includes the amygdalofugal pathway, which deals primarily with the amygdala. The lesion network mapping method uses functional connectivity to identify neural networks associated with symptoms arising from brain lesions. This is a benefit compared to previous studies done on panic disorder because it relates brain circuits to symptoms rather than individual regions.Methods: 21 lesions causing Panic Disorder were found in the literature, traced on a standard template, and analyzed using lesion network mapping. Specifically, lesion networks for each lesion were calculated using a large cohort of healthy control resting state scans (N = 1000). In our sensitivity analysis, overlap between lesion networks was observed. Results: Of the 21 lesion networks, 14 (67%) positively overlap on the parahippocampal gyrus in the sensitivity map; 13 (62%) positively overlap at the ventral tegmental area in the sensitivity map.Discussion: Symptoms of panic disorder may be associated with the parahippocampal gyrus and ventral tegmental area of the brain. These results found are unique compared to previous studies, but do have general connections.

Authors: Alexa Smith. Mentors: Iliana Portaro. Insitution: Southern Utah University. Every day, more and more political ads are popping up in Spanglish or even full-out Spanish on screens across the United States. Whether or not these ads are effective is another story. The research conducted here was based on the hypothesis that in America, after its most recent, tumultuous presidential election cycle, given also that Spanish speakers are on the rise, a candidate’s bilingualism could mean the difference between winning a seat or walking home empty-handed. According to an anonymous online research survey conducted in Salem of Marion County, Oregon, this is only the case when a constituent places importance on a candidate’s language ability. Otherwise, the majority of respondents remained largely indifferent. Additionally, this study determines that more can be done to encourage Latinx individuals to participate in the political system, and it all starts with community outreach. The results of this survey are based on a small, mostly Caucasian sample size, but there is still much to be examined.

Authors: Lisa Bell, Kelsey Hixon Bowles, Joni Hayward Marcum, Maren Neild, Asmaa Alsharif. Mentors: Lisa Bell. Insitution: Utah Valley University. With the development of artificial intelligence and its breakthrough into the academic sphere, some might argue that artificial intelligence is a better and more effective tutor than human tutors. However, it’s important to acknowledge that peer tutoring itself aligns with High-Impact Practice (HIPs) as coined by George Kuh, and it effectively leverages each core element of HIPS. As a high-impact practice, tutoring enhances student engagement, critical thinking skills, and overall academic and personal development and success. Although evidently peer tutoring aligns with HIPs criteria, it is severely underrepresented in HIPs research and discussions, warranting a closer examination and recognition in the academic community. By integrating writing center research with High-Impact Practices (HIPs) and original Institutional Review Board (IRB) research, this presentation establishes peer tutoring as a High-Impact Practice (HIP) and underscores its significance in education, even in the era of advancing artificial intelligence.

Authors: Caleb Fears. Mentors: Troy Munro. Insitution: Brigham Young University. To further the development of medicine and understand the structural stability of both pathogenic and therapeutic proteins, knowledge of the thermodynamics of biomolecules is necessary. An example is amyloid fibrils seen in Alzheimer’s patients, where their unfolding and polymerization is dictated by a poorly understood interplay between enthalpy, entropy, and other thermodynamic properties. Devices such as isothermal titration calorimeters (ITC) and differential scanning calorimeters (DSC) are commonly used to measure these values, but the devices often are insufficiently sensitive to detect small heat changes or require large amounts of sample. Thus, the development of microfluidic thermodynamic measurement devices using small, highly sensitive Peltier elements for biosensing is needed. Through the use of a 3D printer, we are able to design and print chips that have the vacancies needed to miniaturize Peltier elements. This is possible because you can print and fill channels (thermoelectric legs) with dimensions as small as 70 microns by 70 microns, which will at least quadruple the number of thermoelectric legs compared to commercial PE devices with the same footprint. We have managed to insert and cure electrically conductive materials needed for Peltier Elements into channels of 100 microns by 100 microns. And through the use of micro-casting techniques, we have also produced chips that contain the electrical connections, with the same channel size (100 microns by 100 microns), needed to connect each thermoelectric leg. The further development of these PE devices will help us develop the calorimeters necessary to accurately and efficiently study protein thermodynamics.

Authors: Korina Ziegler, Aaron McKenzie, Wesley Ziegler, Spencer Maxwell, Bryson Carrier, Charli Aguilar, Alexandra Routsis, Talon Thornton, Jae Bovell, Setareh Star Zarei, Devin Green, Amanda Hawkes, Jeffrey C Cowley, Merrill Funk, James Navalta, Marcus M Lawrence. Mentors: Marcus Lawrence. Insitution: Southern Utah University. ACSM has again determined that resistance training (RT) and outdoor activities are two of the top ten worldwide fitness trends for 2023. We previously found that RT outdoors had a significantly lower perception of effort (RPE) compared to indoor RT, despite no physiological differences in heart rate (HR) and energy expenditure (EE). However, no study has examined other feelings during RT in indoor or outdoor settings. PURPOSE: To determine how indoor or outdoor environments effect perceptions of fatigue and physical activity enjoyment following RT in recreationally resistance trained adults. METHODS: Twenty-three adult participants (n=10 female, n=13 male) completed this study. The Visual Analog Scale Fatigue (VAS-F) measured perceived fatigue and the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale – Short Version (PACES-S) measured PA enjoyment, and both were measured at baseline and then immediately following an acute session of indoor or outdoor RT. HR was obtained from a chest strap (Polar H10) and EE from a Portable Metabolic Cart (COSMED K5). Randomly in indoor and outdoor settings, participants completed 4 supersets of the reverse lunge and shoulder press exercises using dumbbells at a light (2 sets) and moderately heavy (2 sets) intensity with 1 superset of 6 repetitions per exercise and 1 min rest between supersets. A paired T-test (for HR & EE comparisons) or one-way repeated measures ANOVA with Sidak post-hoc test (for VAS-F & PACES-S comparisons) were used to determine differences (p<0.05). RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between indoor and outdoor RT for the physiological variables of average HR (129.4±17.2 and 127.75±23.3 bpm, respectively, p=0.66) and EE (30.6±11.5 and 28.3±9.9 kcals, respectively, p=0.06). Perceived fatigue significantly (p<0.0001) increased from baseline (1.13±0.94 arbitrary units, AU’s) following indoor (4.54±1.91 AU’s) and outdoor (3.99±1.54 AU’s) RT, but no environmental differences (p=0.36) were observed. PA enjoyment was not significantly (p range: 0.27-0.93) different between baseline (18.73±1.83 AU’s) and following indoor (18.18±1.99 AU’s) or outdoor (18.36±1.99 AU’s) RT. CONCLUSION: In recreationally resistance trained adults, moderately heavy superset RT in indoor or outdoor settings does not alter perceived fatigue or physical activity enjoyment.

Authors: Marie Gibb. Mentors: Francine Jensen. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Maternal mortality, also known as maternal death, is defined as the death of a woman during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum. (MacDorman et al., 2021; Spelke & Werner, 2018). The United States is the only developed nation where the rates of maternal mortality are rising, and they have been rising for twenty years (Simpson, 2019; Spelke & Werner, 2018). This incidence represents a maternal health crisis in the United States. On average, 700 women in the United States die each year from pregnancy-related complications. This equates to 17.2 maternal deaths for every 100,000 live births (Simpson, 2019). Currently, the maternal mortality rate for Utah is higher than the national average at 21.5 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births (Utah Department of Health and Human Services, 2023). According to More than 60% of these deaths are preventable (MacDorman et al., 2021; Simpson, 2019).The leading causes of maternal death in the United States are hemorrhage, preeclampsia, eclampsia, hypertension, embolisms, and cardiomyopathy, which often lead to cardiovascular disorders (MacDorman et al., 2021; Simpson, 2019). The Utah Health and Human Services (2023) reported that increases in heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, mental health disorders, and other chronic conditions complicate pregnancies and are contributing to maternal mortality in Utah. The American Heart Association has cautioned that pregnancy complications like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and preterm delivery are linked to maternal heart disease later in life (Parikh et al., 2021). Research suggests that each episode has a cumulative effect (Marill, 2021), meaning, the more pregnancies women have, and the more complications women have during pregnancy, the more elevated their risks are in general for cardiovascular disorders as they age. A qualitative survey was sent out using snowball sampling to women over the age of 18 in Utah asking about their understanding of cardiovascular risk factors and current health conditions. Findings showed that women were unaware of their potential cardiovascular risks associated with pregnancy. Raising awareness regarding these cardiovascular risks may be the number one preventative strategy, as women are the ones who bear the personal and physical risks. If pregnant women are aware of their cardiovascular risk factors, they can be empowered to raise concerns when necessary. Future interventions may include educating all women of childbearing years about cardiovascular risks prior to pregnancy, as well as more frequent screening of women during and after delivery (Marill, 2021). ReferencesMacDorman, M. F., Thoma, M., Declcerq, E., & Howell, E. A. (2021). Racial and ethnic disparities in maternal mortality in the United States using enhanced vital records, 2016‒2017. American Journal of Public Health, 111(9), 1673–1681. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2021.306375Marill, M. C. (2021). Getting to the heart of America's maternal mortality crisis. Health Affairs, 40(12), 1824-1829. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01702Parikh, N. I., Gonzalez, J. M., Anderson, C. A. M., Judd, S. E., Rexrode, K. M., Hlatky, M. A., Gunderson, E. P., Stuart, J. J., & Vaidya, D. (2021, May 4). Adverse pregnancy outcomes and cardiovascular disease risk: Unique opportunities for cardiovascular disease prevention in women: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation, 143(18), e902-e916. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000961Simpson, K. (2019). Maternal mortality in the United States. MCN, The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 44 (5), 249-249. doi: 10.1097/NMC.0000000000000560.Spelke, B., & Werner, E. (2018). The fourth trimester of pregnancy: Committing to maternal health and well-being postpartum. Rhode Island Medical Journal (2013), 101(8), 30–33.Utah Department of Health and Human Services. (2023, March 16). Complete health indicator report of maternal mortality. Retrieved Sat, 09 September 2023 from the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, Indicator-Based Information System for Public Health website: http://ibis.health.utah.gov. https://ibis.health.utah.gov/ibisph-view/indicator/complete_profile/MatMort.html

Authors: Elisabeth Morris. Mentors: Desirée Oliveira. Insitution: Brigham Young University. The purpose of this study is to better understand what it means to be an American by examining perceptions of national identity through the lens of Brazilian Americans living in Northern Utah. With this purpose in mind, we hope to add to the discussion of national identity during a time when the United States' title as a “melting pot of nations'' is called into question. The study focuses on the question: How do Brazilian Americans living in Northern Utah perceive their own national identity? Additionally, it seeks to answer the following subquestions: Does a pluralistic national identity exist among Brazilian Americans in Northern Utah?; If a pluralistic national identity exists among Brazilian Americans in Northern Utah, do the two identities coexist, or is there a synthesis of the identities and what does that look like?; How do they perceive American national identity?; How is American National identity influenced by Brazilian Americans in the United States? Working with local Brazilian businesses, cultural groups, families, and individuals, we collected data through a variety of ethnographic methods including participant observation, semi-structured interviews, mapping, sonic recordings, oral histories, photo, video, and media usage. We then used thematic qualitative data analysis methods, finding that Brazilian Americans in Northern Utah see their identities as pluralistic as well as that Brazilian and American identities coexist, operating in different spaces. The results show how American national identity is fluid and complex, existing as a companion to other identities, demonstrating how “Brazilianess” contributes to “Americanness” by creating more empathy, understanding, and union in the United States.

Authors: Beckham Trigo. Mentors: Johnathan Chidester. Insitution: Southern Utah University. The lack of resources, funding, and federal recognition is leading to the deficit in K-12 Education around the United States compared to other first world countries with developed education systems. For years the United States has been hammered on the fact that the country doesn't provide every child with bilingual study opportunities. European countries such as Spain, Italy, Germany, and France all offer bilingual studies and are making them required for students to take. These are key elements in a successful education system and offer so many more opportunities and benefits than the standard single language system we have placed in our K-12 Schools. Statistically the change to a new bilingual research would greatly benefit our country and would help decrease political divisiveness and bring an extent of unity among several ethnic groups in the country. The country continues to grow through immigration where the United States is projected to become the top Spanish speaking country in the world with 140 million speakers. However, the United States is not preparing for this and investing in its future students and citizens. Research has proven time and time again that there are so many benefits to a bilingual education, some of these including an increase in brain activity, and power in children, an academic advantage, and competition in the job market. The United States has deeply oppressed this system due to systematic racism, and political motivation. However, the United States has no established language in which it defines itself even though the majority speak English. The United States is also a world power with a lot of interaction with foreign countries. This in itself is going to be very problematic for the future of the United States as the world climate changes. It needs leaders to represent itself in many other languages, not just in the English language. The contrary to this research is that the language is ineffective to learning, makes it harder for students to assimilate into the United States culture, and spend too much time learning the second language. However, none of these statements can be statistically backed and solely based on a few percent of people's personal experience. Overall the research time and time again directs the United States to the bilingual education system, but when will it be adopted?

Authors: Jaren Meikle, Samuel Archer. Mentors: Jacob Dean. Insitution: Southern Utah University. Dipyrroles are bicyclic, heterocyclic compounds ubiquitous in nature. Dipyrroles form subunits in commonly-occurring photoactive biological subunits such as bilins, and are thus remarkable in their ability to absorb visible light despite their chemical simplicity. In this work, the photochemistry of a model dipyrrole serving as an analogue to the core subunit found in bilins was investigated and found to show a proclivity to undergo pH-dependent reactions. When the acidic and basic variants were irradiated with blue light and the time-resolved UV-vis spectra were recorded, we found stark differences in reactivity between the two variants. The protonated variant is highly photostable and resistant to photoxidation with photonic energy being channeled into rapid internal conversion. The basic variant, however, undergoes consistent oxygen-dependent photooxidation, forming hydroxy and methoxy adducts. Our research is currently focused on elucidating the structure of these photoproducts, identifying the mechanism of photooxidation, as well as modeling the kinetics of the reaction.

Authors: Holly Biesinger. Mentors: Ran Qi. Insitution: Southern Utah University. This study analyzes important intersections in the relationship that photography had with polygamy from the year 1878, when the gelatin dry-plate method of photography became commercialized, to 1953, when the Short Creek Raids occurred. The study focuses on the polygamist faction within the Mormon Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), specifically the group that later evolved into the Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). It is important to note that not all members of the original Mormon church were polygamists, and as such this study does not represent the church as a whole. Additionally, it is important to note that the entire history of polygamy or photography will not be addressed, but key points of intersection will be acknowledged. This study describes how photography that contained polygamist subjects shifted over time and established a narrative for the outside general public to understand.

Authors: Reganne Leigh Hales, Laura Sutherland, Melissa Sanchez Herrera, Samantha Standring. Mentors: Seth Bybee. Insitution: Brigham Young University. We explore the phylogeny of Hetaeriinae using a targeted enrichment approach (AHE) on gDNA gathered largely from museums. AHE resulted in 20KB (18.5KB of nuclear and 1.5 of mitochondrial DNA) for each taxon. Previous research, based on sanger data generated from three genes, demonstrated that Hetaerina Hagen in Selys, 1853 is not monophyletic but no taxonomic changes were proposed due to the hope of one day having more data. Our goal for this research was to have a larger dataset to test the monophyly of Hetaerina and update the classification. Our results confirm those of the most recent phylogeny of Hetaerina: the genus is non-monophyletic. We recover Mnesarete Cowley 1934 and Ormenophlebia Garrison 2006 within Hetaerina. We have preliminary data (results not shown) demonstrating that both Iridictyon Needham & Fisher 1940 and Bryoplathanon Garrison 2006 are also within Hetaerina. However, due the placement of these genera there is not a clear way to retain these genera and it is likely they will need to be placed within Hetearina due to priority. We further explore the evolution of some characters associated with habitat preference.

Authors: Nathaniel Stucki. Mentors: Brandon Ro. Insitution: Utah Valley University. In the field of architectural design, the invention of artificial Intelligence or (AI) has sparked incredible amounts of curiosity and debate in regard to its potential impact on classical design principles. For this Project I will dive into the relationship between AI and classical Architecture and aim to determine whether AI can Measure up to the educated experts of classical architecture and how we can use AI as a tool for design.The project will unravel in three separate phases (1-3). Phase 1 will explore the interior and exterior images provided by AI when describing a building akin to the Pantheon because it is considered to be the pinnacle of beauty. The incremental process of refining the text prompt is essential to obtain quality images to continue into the subsequent phases.In phase 2, the VAS by 3M, will be used to assess which of the AI images are the most captivating for both the exterior images and the interior images. The winning interior image and the winning exterior image will then move on to phase 3.Phase 3 will take these AI images and compare them to photographs of the Pantheon VAS 3M. This phase will evaluate the extent that AI can pull attention and will offer insights into the potential utility for architects or designers to use in the design process during the conceptual phase.In conclusion, I expect findings will show VAS attention percentages are slightly skewed in favor of human design and, while AI can enhance the efficiency in the design process, it cannot replace years of classical training. Architects would be wise to, instead of resisting change, fully embrace AI as a tool for design enhancement. This study emphasizes the importance of collaboration between “man and machine” in shaping the future for architecture.

Authors: Silvia Medina. Mentors: Alexandra Giannell. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Often times growing up we tend to go through different phases or versions of ourselves until we find one that we truly resonate with. We always retain the older versions, as they still tend to peek out from time to time in different aspects of ourselves. With this piece, I wanted to demonstrate my growth and progress, and how it takes all versions of myself and all my experiences when it comes to being who I am today.

Authors: David Schloesser. Mentors: B Kal Munis. Insitution: Utah Valley University. How do place-based identities influence American’s attitudes towards perpetrators of politically motivated violence? Through the implementation of a pre-registered conjoint experiment, I seek to answer this question. Ideally, and under normative circumstances, punishment of politically motivated violence should be applied to perpetrators with considerations only towards what/who was targeted in the act and the severity of the violence committed. In the U.S. however, evaluations of guilt are determined through the trial of peers, leaving room for the influence of in-group and out-group biases to appear in the judgement of perpetrators according to the suggestions of Social Identity Theory. As such, biases arise that cloud human judgement based on preconceived attitudes towards various group identities that influence our opinions when judging other individuals. One’s sense of place, or how strongly they identify themselves with their locality and its’ culture, is one of these powerful group social identities that establishes a salient “in-group” persona to other locals, while influencing attitudes towards various “out-groups” of people not from that place. Holding constant other considerations pertinent to acts of politically motivated violence, Americans more harshly evaluate perpetrators of violence from geographic communities other than their own. To judge the relative weight that these place-based identities hold towards the judgement of political violence perpetrators, evaluators were presented with perpetrators with randomly assigned personal characteristics (e.g., where they are from) and varied features of the violent act (e.g., how severe the act was, what/who was targeted), and asked to determine the level of punishment or mercy to be assigned to each perpetrator. I found that perpetrator place characteristics indeed influences the evaluator’s excusal of political violence, however when weighted against the features of the act, the nature of the act matters much more for evaluations on average. These findings can be interpreted as normatively negative, given that an evaluator’s place identity appears to reflect in-group out-group biases that affect the assignment of punishment to a crime. However, the disproportionate effect of the violent act’s target and severity are normatively encouraging.

Authors: Claudia Wiese, Josh Steffen, Heather Briggs, Rodolfo Probst. Mentors: Josh Steffen. Insitution: University of Utah. Evaluating effect of formic acid treatment on foraging behaviors of Apis mellifera through pollen DNA metabarcoding using the MinION deviceBees play a vital role in maintaining the health and productivity of terrestrial ecosystems by providing pollination to many of the world’s plants. In recent decades, many bee species, including Apis mellifera (European honeybee), have experienced worldwide population declines.Varroa destructor, an external parasite, is one of the leading causes of honeybee population declines, as they are the primary cause of colony collapse disorder.Various methods exist to control the impact of V. destructor, including Formic Acid (FA) treatment, a well-documented solution to reducing V. destructor numbers. Yet, despite clearly established evidence that A. mellifera behaviors are very sensitive to changes in their hive environment, very few studies have looked at the effect of FA on honeybee foraging behavior. DNA metabarcoding is a powerful tool allowing ecologists to quantitatively assess differences in diet within species without the need for extensive knowledge of pollen taxonomy or complicated fieldwork experiments.In this study, A. mellifera hives (n=7) were split into control (n=3) and treatment groups (n=4). Pollen samples were collected from all hives before, during, and after FA treatment to compare if FA application impacted the foraging patterns of the bees in the treated colonies as compared to the control group. To compare foraging patterns between the treatments, we performed metabarcoding using the trnL (UAA) chloroplast intronic region, commonly used to barcode plant species. Amplicons were subsequently sequenced with a portable sequencer (ONT MinION Mk1C). Basecalling, quality check, demultiplexing, and filtering of the data were conducted with Guppy and Medaka. Obtained sequences (n=120 reads) were compared to a reference database with BLAST to determine the sequence identity of visited plants. With this information, we plan to compare absolute foraging numbers, species, and related ratios between control and experimental hives. Most sequences were assigned with a high percentage identity to a sample database (>89%), Although certain species (e.g., Malus sylvestris [European crab apple] and Prunus avium [wild cherry]) were probably visited by all hives, our preliminary findings show that pollen loads differ between control and experimental conditions, indicating a variation in floral visitation.These results suggest that FA treatment, while effective at controlling V. destructor, may impact honeybee foraging patterns. Further research is needed to understand if this behavioral change is detrimental to the health of the colony, and the consequences of variation in floral visitation to pollination networks.

Authors: . Mentors: Jared Nielsen. Insitution: Brigham Young University. Objective: This study examines the role of positive reframing as a strategy to mitigate suicidality and enhance positive emotions. Background: Emotional regulation difficulties have been identified in numerous psychiatric populations, potentially leading to stress, incarceration, and tragically, suicide. Amidst the rising rates of suicidality among at-risk populations, this study aims to investigate the pivotal behavioral factors influencing suicidal thoughts and actions in autistic and socially anxious populations. Methods: Our investigation employed a longitudinal ecological momentary assessment study to explore the impact of various emotional regulation skills on positive emotion, negative emotion, and suicidality. We recruited 95 participants, 72 of which met criteria for inclusion, to answer daily surveys administered through a smartphone app that tracked emotional regulation use, positive emotions, negative emotions, and suicidal tendencies over time. Results: Our results indicate that for the social anxiety group, enjoying the moment significantly affects positive emotions (E=2.14, p<.05), but this effect is not observed in the autism group. Furthermore, both groups demonstrated that accepting feelings (E=4.40, p<.001; E=2.63, p<.01) and acknowledging that feelings don’t last (E=1.69, p<.05; E=3.13, p<.001) significantly increased daily positive emotions. Conversely, hiding feelings significantly decreased daily positive emotions in the social anxiety group (E=-1.76, p<.05). Self-blame increased negative emotions in both groups by, on average, four points. Regarding the reduction of daily average suicide composite scores, accepting feelings emerged as a significant factor for both groups (E=-1.88, p<.01; E=-2.15, p<.001). On the other hand, using self-blame significantly increased average suicide composite scores for social anxiety, mirroring its effect on negative emotions (E=1.42, p<.01). Conclusion: Positively reframing one's emotions is associated with increased daily positive feelings and reduced daily suicidal tendencies. This research sheds light on the complex interplay between emotional regulation strategies and their impact on mental health and emotions in these at-risk populations.

Authors: Alexander Gibb. Mentors: York Young. Insitution: Utah Valley University. Our research group’s long term goal is to build a student-constructed nonlinear optical system to create a tunable source of longwave infrared (LWIR) photons for probing molecules for early detection of disease in human tissue. I previously developed a diode laser system as the optical pump for a 5 Watt Nd:YVO4 laser which was reported at UCUR in Feb 2023. However, recent nonlinear optical calculations for our optical parametric oscillator (OPO) show that we will need the average laser power from that Nd:YVO4 laser to be in the 7-8 Watt range. My work to power scale the Nd:YVO4 laser is described in this presentation.